There’s a lot of debate in this country about health insurance. On the one side, there are those who think it should be a complete choice for each individual, on the other, there are those who think it should be a government-run program that covers everyone. The compromise in the middle, Obamacare, seems to make no one happy, which is why there’s so much tension about the law even up to today, almost a decade after it passed.

Health insurance is not the only kind of insurance where the country should be debating this issue. Another kind is long-term disability.

First, long-term disability insurance is extremely expensive due to the nature of it. Payouts are very high when they do occur, and so the rates are prohibitive to many businesses, particularly those where accidents are more likely to occur.

The second point relates to the first. Because payouts are high, the insurance companies work very hard to avoid paying out as often as they can. That can mean a company pays its expensive insurance, but when an employee is injured the insurance company still works to deny the claim, even when everything is in order.

This problem can proceed into a ridiculous process, in which the injured person must hire a lawyer to plead their case in order to get the insurance company to simply pay out what they have guaranteed they would pay, and for which they have received insurance payments, perhaps for a number of years.

Because of this reticence to pay, paperwork must be handled with absolute care, and everything must be documented up to and including the minutest details. This is a strain on employers and employees, injured and not, and is sure to slow down business efficiency.

The obvious answer to this is to remove the profit-motive from long-term disability insurance. If it were run by the government, cases could be decided based solely on merits and not on which cases are likely to cost the most for the company.

In order to pay for this, the government could institute any number of small taxes or fines. These might follow along with the lines of the Obamacare taxes and fines, in which those who do not buy into the system are fined. That way, all businesses pay in something and therefore fund the insurance.

There are sure to be problems with this admittedly rudimentary scheme, but the proposal itself is solid. With government-run long-term insurance, the burden of accidents would fall much less on those who have been injured and on the employers. More certainty could be established that claims would be looked at fairly and with fewer negative motives. Finally, the cost of new taxes and fees may even be lower, and so less of a burden, than the cost of the insurance at the present moment, thus creating cost savings for businesses.

Accidents can result not only result to property damages, but also to physical injuries which are much worse and which can range from minor cuts and bruises to serious ones, like broken bones, amputated limbs, spinal cord damage or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The brain, which forms the nervous system with the spinal cord and the neurons (the basic unit of nervous tissues, which are the ones responsible in sensing stimuli and communicating signals to and from the different parts of the body), controls the whole body, making it one of the human body’s very important organs. Due to this, any forceful impact which can affect the way it functions or, worse, damage it, will also affect the way the whole body works.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2006 – 2010, the leading cause of traumatic brain injury was falls; these were followed by unintentional blunt trauma, the result of being hit by an object, motor vehicle accidents, and assault or violence, explosions, sport and recreation-related accidents, and other types of accidents which can cause a forceful blow or jolt to one’s head.

Brain injuries, as explained in an article posted at zavodnicklaw.com, can be devastating for both victims and their loved ones. Not only can you lose functionality of basic motor skills, but suffering brain trauma threatens loss of core personality traits, memories, mental faculties, and independence. Because of the complexity of these injuries, they often require a higher standard of care than other physical injuries.

The road to recovery is also not a simple one, since it may necessitate physical therapy, rehabilitative care, speech therapy, or specialized treatment. In children, symptoms of brain injury differ slightly, often culminating in changes in behavior, loss of new skills, irritability, and trouble balancing. Children can acquire a brain injury through many of the same ways that adults can, with caregiver abuse as an additional cause. Thus, if one’s brain injury was caused by someone else’s mistake or negligence, a victims and his/her family may be entitled to compensation.

Reckless driving is an unacceptable cause of car accidents, and one of the most common reckless behaviors is drunk driving. In fact, it is so reckless that most local governments recognize it, so it is illegal almost anywhere you go.
Still, drunks drive and cause traffic accidents, and sometimes, even innocent parties are involved undeservingly. But according to the website www.kff-law.com, those who have been injured in car accidents because of someone else’s fault, like a drunk driver’s, may have legal options, which is a good thing.
But avoiding drunk driving accidents is still the better option. Below are some of the things you can do to avoid drunk driving yourself:

Avoid drinking too much – It is called drunk driving, so you just have to avoid either being drunk or driving. You can avoid being drunk by avoiding alcohol altogether. Learn how to say no sometimes to your friends.

Leave your car – Again, you can avoid either being drunk or driving. To avoid driving, the best thing to do is to leave your car at home. This way, you will not be forced to drive home when you are already under the influence of alcohol.

Use other transportation options – Since you are leaving your car behind, you are passing the burden of driving to somebody else. You can surely count on train operators, bus drivers, and even Uber and Lyft drivers to get you to your destination safely.

Get a driver – Sometimes, the drinking session is spontaneous so you still have your car with you. In those instances, it is better to get a driver that can drive for you when you are already too impaired to do it yourself. This person should not consume any impairing products.

Stay put – If you already have your car with you and you do not have a designated driver, one thing to consider is to stay put until you become sober. This is a good option if you are already in a private place, like a friend’s apartment.

Work-related injuries can happen in any type of work environment, an office setting or outdoor, while an employee is on a n errand. Accidents, however, occur more frequently in construction, industrial and agricultural sites, and pharmaceutical and chemical companies where exposure to dangerous substances is part of the daily risk workers face.

Work-relatd Injuries have always registered a high rate of claims lawsuit in the U.S. and, due to the high cost of medical treatment plus lost wages due to days of absence from work, compensation need not just be sure, but fast too.

One of the most common causes of injuries is hazardous or toxic substances. Exposure to harmful chemicals will always inflict harm on anyon, especially those who are properly suited in protective gears. One of the worst things about exposure to chemicals is that their harmful effects are not immediately obvious; there have been many occasions in the past when the harmful effects of substances became manifes only after months or years have already passed.

There are different ways through which toxic substances can inflict harm. One is through inhalation of its fumes, which can cause skin rashes, disease in the lung, kidney, or liver, and poisoning. Substances that can cause these dangers include disinfectants, solvents, acids, caustic substances, petroleum products, pesticides, glue and heavy metals (such as aluminum, cadmium, mercury and lead).

Benzene, a colorless, flammable liquid that has a sweet odor that is widely-used in the manufacture of synthetic fibers, plastics, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides; in the past, it was also widely used as a a gasoline additive and as an industrial solvent (to dissolve or extract other substances). The ones most exposed and harmed by benzene are those working in shipyards, refineries, chemical plants and construction industries.

The health hazards that may be suffered by those exposed to benzene, include acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), aplastic anemia, myelodysplasia, non-hodgkins lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

“Though people who work in more hazardous jobs, such as industrial factories and construction, experience elevated levels of exposure to dangerous toxins and chemicals, the reality is that anyone can suffer from toxic exposure if other people, such as a landlord or company, are negligent. Sadly, toxic exposure can have traumatic effects on a person, from debilitating injuries to permanent disabilities, causing them to suffer physical, emotional, and financial harm. And, in the most tragic of circumstances, toxic exposure can even lead to an innocent person’s untimely death, leaving their loved ones grieving.

The law firm Ronald J. Resmini LTD., believes that anyone who has suffered harm as a result of toxic exposure should not have to endure the consequences on his/her own. With the help of a legal representative, he/she may be able to hold the party who exposed him/her to dangerous toxins or substances responsible for his/her losses, which can provide much-needed financial compensation.”

The fact that car accidents are among the leading causes of injuries in the United States is undeniable. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, of all the over 6 million crashes reported in 2014, over 1.6 million led to injuries that required emergency medical attention.

A common cause for all these accidents is distracted driving. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 8 people are killed and 1,161 people are injured in crashes that are reported to have been caused by a distracted driver. Many of these drivers were found to have been preoccupied with texting or using their mobile phones while operating their vehicles.

In general, distracted driving accidents refer to crashes involving drivers that were doing something else on top of keeping their attention on operating their vehicles. With the advancement of technology, this typically means people who are using their phones or adjusting their vehicle’s GPS while driving. Whatever the case, distracted driving is considered particularly dangerous because it causes drivers to divide their attention when they should be focusing on the road. Texting or using one’s mobile phone is considered especially dangerous because it takes so much of a person’s attention. Aside from having to take their eyes off the road and shifting their attention to read a text, it also causes drivers to take their hands off the stirring wheel. This leaves them unable to react quickly should there be any reason to make a quick turn or to swerve out of the way.

Victims that were involved in a car crash caused by a distracted driver have every right to pursue legal action against those responsible for their suffering. If you are among the many people who find themselves in this situation, you shouldn’t hesitate to consult with a personal injury lawyer working in your state. Those hurt in a car accident in Madison may contact a Wisconsin attorney for more information.

Starting a business can be a daunting task. But growing and getting out of the startup stage is even more difficult. As an entrepreneur, you do not want to stay as a startup for a long time. If you are just learning the ropes of managing a business, you will find yourself struggling to survive and compete with more established businesses. According to the website of Slater Pugh, Ltd. LLP, there are certain factors you need to consider to achieve success.

Promote Your Business

To succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to make your business known to potential customers. This is one of the most important tasks that you should accomplish when starting up with a business. You need to get attention so people will know your company.

Raise Funds

To be a successful business, you need funding. Keep in mind that you will need to pay bills and rent and have other operating expenses to think of. It will be good if you can find investors or partners to help you out with the expenses. You cannot shoulder the expenses alone especially if you do not have enough capital to work with.

Don’t Go For The Big Companies Right Away

Every company wants to be the leader of the pack in their industry. If you are just starting, do not aim to beat the competition right away. Focus on growing your business first and if you are that established enough already who knows you might be able to go head on with the giants already.

Find The Right Market

There are many potential customers that you can target but not all of them will be right for your business. Find your place in the market and then choose customers that perfectly cater to the product or service you are offering.

Prioritize Customers

When starting a business, the first thing you have to remember is that customers will keep your company up and running. They will not just buy your products or avail of your services, they can also help you improve your products or service.

It is a going to be a long way before you can achieve success with your business. Keep these tips in mind and you may find yourself reaping the fruits of your hard work.

One in every eight drivers in the US, according to the Insurance Research Council, is uninsured despite the mandate in all states that drivers should carry car liability insurance or show proof of financial responsibility. Car liability insurance is a necessary document whenever drivers renew their license and car registration, when they are at fault in an accident, or whenever a traffic enforcer asks for it. But if thousands of drivers are really uninsured, how, then, are they able to register their car?

The only states that do not require, and strictly require, drivers to carry car liability insurance are New Hampshire and Virginia, respectively. In New Hampshire, it is enough for drivers to post a bond as proof of capability to pay compensatory damages in case of an at-fault accident. In the state of Virginia, drivers can choose to either have insurance or pay the state a significant fee if they choose to have their car registered as uninsured. In all other states, however, what drivers do is purchase an insurance policy but discontinue it as soon as they are able to renew their license and car registration.

While the most common reason given by drivers for violating the mandate instead of complying with it is the high cost of insurance premiums, the legal experts at Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. ®, say that driving uninsured invites more financial risks. If caught, an uninsured driver can face costly fines or imprisonment. He/She may also lose his/her driving privileges and be required to pay a fee and still higher premiums in order to have these privileges reinstated.

Some government authorities may see uninsured drivers as mere violators of the law, but, looking at the other side of the coin, these drivers may actually have a valid argument with regard to the high cost of premiums. Well, it cannot be denied that many insurance providers do have ways of making premiums more costly, specifically by identifying drivers as high-risk based simply on their age, driving experience, type of car driven, and driving history. If one drives a high-powered sports car, for example, this will make him/her more prone to accident than someone driving a regular passenger vehicle. Someone with past traffic violations would also be considered as a high-risk driver due to his/her proneness to getting involved in accidents.

Despite the high cost of premiums, drivers still ought to follow the law by carrying car liability insurance; however, carrying insurance does not necessarily mean paying for an expensive policy. Looking for the best insurance deal, one that costs more agreeable to a driver’s budget, regardless of his/her driving experience, driving history, etc., is the expertise of independent car insurance firms. Going to one for help could really be a big help to drivers, especially those who need to have insurance immediately.

It doesn’t matter how it happens, really. Some people are simply more susceptible to blood clots than others. Sometimes, it’s a medical condition that makes them more prone to blood clots. People who have diabetes, for example, are more prone to blood clots than others. Pregnant women, smokers, people who have heart conditions, et cetera – these are people who may have more chances for blood clots than others.

However, as can be found in the website of the lawyers with Habush, Habush, & Rottier S.C., some people acquire this new susceptibility second-hand, due to an incident or another. This incident is usually a traumatic personal injury or even a medical procedure that went awry. This can be, of course, dangerous since the methods of preventing blood clots when you are more prone to them are relatively different from regular people.

For most people, blood clots can be combated by simple physical exertion and stimulation. Physical movement stimulates the blood flow, especially in areas where this is actually required in order for blood to not remain stagnant in the vein and then clot. When this happens in the deep vein, such are numerous reported cases in some passengers of long-haul flights (any flight that is longer than four hours); there is a clot that forms.

If the clot that forms is big and it travels all the way to the lungs, it could cause potentially fatal problems such as pulmonary embolism.

If simple physical stimulation isn’t sufficient, there are protocols in place that may be followed. You may be prescribed an anticoagulant or have an IVC filter surgically installed. There are some cases involving Bard G2 IVC Filters however that have resulted in numerous patients reporting complaints of this faulty preventative measure that may cause more harm than its intended good.

It is always recommended, then, that you have full disclosure with your doctor on the pros and cons of any method of preventative measures before pursuing any such actions.

They say there is calm before the storm – but they never mention the chaos that comes directly after it.

There is confusion everywhere as people all around scramble for rescue and relief. In some natural disasters, like that of the likes of Hurricane Katrina, some people lose literally everything they have; their homes, their cars, their businesses – with very little else to fall back on – all lost and carried away with the wind and floodwater. It can be more than difficult then to recover from such an event – and it can be exceedingly disastrous to then be tangled in something called disaster relief fraud.

Now, what exactly is disaster fraud?

According to the website of Portale Law Firm at http://www.portalelaw.com/, disaster fraud deals with allegations resulting from the mismanagement of assets that are meant to aid in relief operations following a major disaster. Say that a donation came in that was meant to repair a school but instead was pocketed by a private party in order to acquire something for personal gain. That, in its essence, is one of the most basic examples of disaster fraud.

It can be difficult to defend oneself in the event of being charged with disaster relief fraud as some people can be falsely accused with this kind of fraudulence through ignorantly accepting assets that may have been illegally acquired. That is why proceeding with caution is one of the most important, preliminary reminders in terms of accepting goods and services – because, as a white collar crime, this kind of stain on your permanent record can have serious repercussions on your life.

Nobody is above the law – and ignorance of the law excuses no one.

Following any disaster, it is always important that you keep skeptical about anything and everything that you may come across. Desperate folk can come out of desperate situations – and it pays, more than you know, to stay vigilant in dark times like this.

The techniques and strategies concerning branding and marketing are always developing, changing, and growing. As the world’s technologies become more advanced and accessible, so much the approach to the masses and the target audiences that you will want to reach. These days, nearly everything is instant and whoever gets to the scene last loses. It’s all about keeping up with the trends while still maintaining the integrity of your company or business’ mission and vision. Going mobile through the development of mobile applications is the new hottest thing that any company is getting into – whether small or a multinational; it’s the next big thing to social networking.

Take, for example, the steady increase of demand for there to be mobile apps for attorneys. An application to a certain business allows for you to have concentrated access to the goods and services of that given businesses. Just like the restaurants that have their own applications where they might offer discount coupons or special deals for people with their apps, these applications are also useful for instant access for the people who need immediate help or advice.

A law firm can benefit from having a mobile application for unexpected events that require immediate attention, such as car accidents or wrongful deaths. This is only one of the many perks that an application could have as it not only allows for you to have direct, easy access with your target audience (and vice versa) but it also allows for you to customize it to have features that are necessary for your clients. Taking the law firm example again, photos and on-site audio-visual recordings could be a safely protected and safeguarded bit of evidence within the law firm’s network and allow for confidentiality between the legal team and the client. This is purely a hypothetical feature of an application, however.

There are many practical uses for investing in having an application made for your company. It allows for you to have as many avenues for communication with your audience – letting them know that you’re there and that there is a way to access your goods and services should they be required.